Delivered to the USAAF as 45-507 in 1945. Renamed to USAF in 1947. Stored at Davis-Monthan AFB with park code CC248 in 1973. Sold as N87974 in 1977. Reregistered as N82FA in 1978, N14BA in 1980 and N82FA in 1986. Converted to a fire bomber. To ARDCO in 1989 then to Aero Flite in 1994. Fire bombing tank removed by 2005. To Brooks Fuel in 2006. Force landed near Nenana, AK due to an engine fire in 2007. Remains moved to Nenana airfield.

K25 slide scan. Built 1945 for USAAF, retired to MASDC 1973. Civilianized as N82FA for Falcon Airways 1977. Bowman Aviation N14BA 1979. Reverted to N82FA, ARDCO by 1989, Aero Flite 1994. Went north to Alaska for Brooks Fuel 2006 but was written off in forced off Airport landing 17 January 2007 after an inflight fire. Fuselage later transported to Nenana Airport. Tanker 161 is seen here starting up for the ferry flight to Alaska for the 1997 season.

The reg dates back to when it operated with Falcon Airways for a few years in the 70s. Operated by ARDCO at the time of this photo. Ended up with Brooks Fuel in Alaska in 2006. Damaged beyond repair in a forced landing 17 Jan 2007.

This DC-4 was on a flight from Fairbanks to Nixon Fork Mine with 3,000 gallons of heating oil on January 7, 2007 when the #2 engine caught fire and the crew was forced to make an emergency landing on the tundra near Nenana. The damaged aircraft was disassembled and moved to Nenana Airport where it was stripped of its useful components. It has been a fixture at the airport ever since.

Owned by Aero Flite for freight support flights. Sold to Brooks Fuel in February 2006. Crashed at Nenana, Alaska on 17 January 2007.

Wreckage taken to Nenana after a crash nearby.

A DC-4 taking off... Wonderful sight, wonderful sound!

On 17 January 2007 this DC-4 suffered a fire in the #2 engine which could not be contained and spread to the wing. The crew made a wheels-up landing in the tundra 7 km west of Nenana, AK. The wreck was salvaged in Feb/Mar-2007 and trucked to Nenana Airport for storage. It was still there 10 years later.

Aircraft made a wheels up landing nearby due to a fire in the number two engine while flying from Fairbanks to Fort Nixon Mine with 3,000 gallons of heating fuel onboard, the remains were transported to Nenana Municipal Airport.

Served the USAAF and USAF from June 1945 until stored at Davis Monthan in June 1973. Later served several civilian operators until damaged in a force landing in Alaska on 17 January 2007 when N82FA with Brooks Fuel Inc. 62 years of service - beat that you modern jets!

It doesn't show, but this immaculate Skymaster was delivered to the USAAF in June 1945 (as 45-507), which means that when this photo was taken, this beauty had just celebrated its 61st birthday. Roger Brooks purchased this former Arizona-based airtanker (ex Tanker 161) in February 2006. He used it to fly all kinds of freight out of its new homebase at Fairbanks, Alaska. Unfortunately it crashlanded near Nenana, AK on 17 January 2007. The wreck was stored at Nenana Airport and was still there by 2018.